Generic Name: carbetapentane, guaifenesin, and phenylephrine (kar BET a PEN tane, gwye FEN e sin, and FEN il EFF rin)
Brand Names: Carbetaplex, MonteCough
What is Phencarb GG (carbetapentane, guaifenesin, and phenylephrine)?
Carbetapentane is a cough suppressant. It affects the signals in the brain that trigger cough reflex.
Guaifenesin is an expectorant. It helps loosen congestion in your chest and throat, making it easier to cough out through your mouth.
Phenylephrine is a decongestant that shrinks blood vessels in the nasal passages. Dilated blood vessels can cause nasal congestion (stuffy nose).
The combination of carbetapentane, guaifenesin, and phenylephrine is used to treat stuffy nose, sinus congestion, cough, and chest congestion caused by sinusitus, bronchitis, or the common cold or flu.
Carbetapentane, guaifenesin, and phenylephrine may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.
What is the most important information I should know about Phencarb GG (carbetapentane, guaifenesin, and phenylephrine)?
Do not give this medication to a child younger than 4 years old. Always ask a doctor before giving a cough or cold medicine to a child. Death can occur from the misuse of cough and cold medicines in very young children. You should not use this medication if you have severe high blood pressure, severe colitis or toxic megacolon, or if you are unable to urinate. Do not use cough and cold medicine if you have untreated or uncontrolled diseases such as high blood pressure, heart disease, coronary artery disease, or overactive thyroid. Do not use a cough or cold medicine if you have used an MAO inhibitor such as furazolidone (Furoxone), isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), rasagiline (Azilect), selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam, Zelapar), or tranylcypromine (Parnate) in the last 14 days. A dangerous drug interaction could occur, leading to serious side effects.
What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking Phencarb GG (carbetapentane, guaifenesin, and phenylephrine)?
Do not use a cough or cold medicine if you have used an MAO inhibitor such as furazolidone (Furoxone), isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), rasagiline (Azilect), selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam, Zelapar), or tranylcypromine (Parnate) in the last 14 days. A dangerous drug interaction could occur, leading to serious side effects. You should not use this medication if you have severe constipation, severe colitis or toxic megacolon, or if you are unable to urinate. Do not use cough and cold medicine if you have untreated or uncontrolled diseases such as glaucoma, asthma or COPD, high blood pressure, heart disease, coronary artery disease, or overactive thyroid.
Ask a doctor or pharmacist if it is safe for you to take this medication if you have ever had:
glaucoma;
asthma or COPD;
diabetes;
epilepsy or other seizure disorder;
cough with mucus, or cough caused by emphysema or chronic bronchitis;
enlarged prostate or urination problems;
an adrenal gland tumor or disorder (such as pheochromocytoma or Addison's disease); or
if you take potassium (Cytra, Epiklor, K-Lyte, K-Phos, Kaon, Klor-Con, Polycitra, Urocit-K).
FDA pregnancy category C. It is not known whether carbetapentane, guaifenesin, and phenylephrine will harm an unborn baby. Do not use cold or cough medicine without medical advice if you are pregnant. This medicine may pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. You should not breast-feed while you are using carbetapentane, guaifenesin, and phenylephrine.
Artificially sweetened liquid cough or cold medicine may contain phenylalanine. If you have phenylketonuria (PKU), check the medication label to see if the product contains phenylalanine.
How should I take Phencarb GG (carbetapentane, guaifenesin, and phenylephrine)?
Use exactly as directed on the label, or as prescribed by your doctor. Do not use in larger or smaller amounts or for longer than recommended. Cough or cold medicine is usually taken only for a short time until your symptoms clear up.
Do not take for longer than 7 days in a row. Talk with your doctor if your symptoms do not improve after 7 days of treatment, or if you have a fever with a headache or skin rash.
Do not give this medication to a child younger than 4 years old. Always ask a doctor before giving a cough or cold medicine to a child. Death can occur from the misuse of cough and cold medicines in very young children.
Measure liquid medicine with a special dose measuring spoon or medicine cup, not with a regular table spoon. If you do not have a dose measuring device, ask your pharmacist for one.
Drink extra fluids to help loosen the congestion and lubricate your throat while you are taking this medication.
If you need surgery or medical tests, tell the surgeon or doctor ahead of time if you have taken a cough or cold medicine within the past few days. Store at room temperature away from moisture, heat, and light. Do not freeze.
What happens if I miss a dose?
Since cough or cold medicine is taken when needed, you may not be on a dosing schedule. If you are taking the medication regularly, take the missed dose as soon as you remember. Skip the missed dose if it is almost time for your next scheduled dose. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.
What happens if I overdose?
Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.
Overdose symptoms may include extreme dizziness or restless feeling, severe stomach pain, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, rapid heart rate, flushing (warmth, redness, or tingly feeling).
What should I avoid while taking Phencarb GG (carbetapentane, guaifenesin, and phenylephrine)?
This medicine may cause blurred vision or impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be alert and able to see clearly. Drinking alcohol can increase certain side effects of carbetapentane, guaifenesin, and phenylephrine. Avoid becoming overheated or dehydrated during exercise and in hot weather. Carbetapentane, guaifenesin, and phenylephrine can decrease sweating and you may be more prone to heat stroke. Ask a doctor or pharmacist before using any other cold, allergy, cough, or sleep medicine. Antihistamines, decongestants, and cough suppressants are contained in many combination medicines. Taking certain products together can cause you to get too much of a certain drug. Check the label to see if a medicine contains an antihistamine, decongestant, or cough suppressant.
Avoid taking this medication if you also take diet pills, caffeine pills, or other stimulants (such as ADHD medications). Taking a stimulant together with a decongestant can increase your risk of unpleasant side effects.
Phencarb GG (carbetapentane, guaifenesin, and phenylephrine) side effects
Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. Stop using carbetapentane, guaifenesin, and phenylephrine and call your doctor at once if you have a serious side effect such as:
fast or pounding heartbeats;
confusion, hallucinations, unusual thoughts or behavior;
severe dizziness, anxiety, restless feeling, or nervousness;
urinating less than usual or not at all;
easy bruising or bleeding, unusual weakness, fever, chills, body aches, flu symptoms; or
dangerously high blood pressure (severe headache, blurred vision, buzzing in your ears, anxiety, chest pain, shortness of breath, uneven heartbeats, seizure).
Less serious side effects may include:
dizziness, drowsiness, headache, weakness;
dry mouth, nose, or throat, increased sweating or urination;
nausea, mild stomach pain;
sleep problems (insomnia); or
feeling restless or excited (especially in children).
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
What other drugs will affect Phencarb GG (carbetapentane, guaifenesin, and phenylephrine)?
Ask a doctor or pharmacist before using this medicine if you regularly use other medicines that make you sleepy (such as narcotic pain medication, sedatives, sleeping pills, muscle relaxers, and medicine for seizures, depression or anxiety). They can add to sleepiness caused by brompheniramine.
Ask a doctor or pharmacist if it is safe for you to take carbetapentane, guaifenesin, and phenylephrine if you are also using any of the following drugs:
an antidepressant such as amitriptyline (Elavil, Vanatrip, Limbitrol), doxepin (Sinequan, Silenor), nortriptyline (Pamelor), and others; or
heart or blood pressure medication such as atenolol (Tenormin, Tenoretic), carvedilol (Coreg), labetalol (Normodyne, Trandate), mecamylamine (Inversine), methyldopa (Aldomet), metoprolol (Dutoprol, Lopressor, Toprol), nadolol (Corgard), propranolol (Inderal, InnoPran), reserpine, sotalol (Betapace), and others.
This list is not complete and other drugs may interact with carbetapentane, guaifenesin, and phenylephrine. Tell your doctor about all medications you use. This includes prescription, over-the-counter, vitamin, and herbal products. Do not start a new medication without telling your doctor.
More Phencarb GG resources
- Phencarb GG Side Effects (in more detail)
- Phencarb GG Use in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
- Phencarb GG Drug Interactions
- Phencarb GG Support Group
- 0 Reviews for Phencarb GG - Add your own review/rating
- Aquatab C MedFacts Consumer Leaflet (Wolters Kluwer)
- Carbatab-12 Sustained-Release Tablets MedFacts Consumer Leaflet (Wolters Kluwer)
- Carbetapentane/Guaifenesin/Phenylephrine Solution MedFacts Consumer Leaflet (Wolters Kluwer)
Compare Phencarb GG with other medications
- Cough and Nasal Congestion
Where can I get more information?
- Your pharmacist can provide more information about carbetapentane, guaifenesin, and phenylephrine.
See also: Phencarb GG side effects (in more detail)
No comments:
Post a Comment